Vehicle for towing sheep

Green farmer

Hi lads. Any ideas on vehicles suitable for towing loads up to 2.5 tonne, ie a trailer and 25-30 lambs. with 5 seats. Have a car and old landcruiser at the moment, but means running costs of two vehicles. Something around the €15k mark, that would be economical, realiable and reasonable to run. I've seen some kia sorentos a few years old for sale, but don't know much about them.

Farrell

Green farmer wrote: »

Hi lads. Any ideas on vehicles suitable for towing loads up to 2.5 tonne, ie a trailer and 25-30 lambs. with 5 seats. Have a car and old landcruiser at the moment, but means running costs of two vehicles. Something around the €15k mark, that would be economical, realiable and reasonable to run. I've seen some kia sorentos a few years old for sale, but don't know much about them.

Most Crew-cabs would fit the bill, 2.5L engines can be economical (for jeeps)

Green farmer

what crew cabs would ye recommend ?Has hoping for something that might do 40mpg, that could used for short runs etc. if their out there.t

IH784man

I'd recommend a dmax,you'd pick a decent one for that money.About 36 mpg,bulletproof isuzu engine,bit sluggish though in fairness.

Cran

25/30 lambs and 10ft trailer be about 2 ton pull. Would a freelander 2.2 be enough ?

gazahayes

Cran wrote: »

25/30 lambs and 10ft trailer be about 2 ton pull. Would a freelander 2.2 be enough ?

I'd pull that many in a 10 by 5 and pulled with a 2 litre santa fe no bother to it brakes need to be done on the trailer so it'd have no bother stopping then. The older model santa fe up to 06 is better than the 2.2 model in the local area here they outnumber all other jeeps together

sea12

gazahayes wrote: »

I'd pull that many in a 10 by 5 and pulled with a 2 litre santa fe no bother to it brakes need to be done on the trailer so it'd have no bother stopping then. The older model santa fe up to 06 is better than the 2.2 model in the local area here they outnumber all other jeeps together

New Santa Fe is a lovely jeep and can get 5 or 7 seats. Privet at 40k though, only out 2 or 3 years so u won't get a second hand one too easily or cheaply

Green farmer

Cran wrote: »

25/30 lambs and 10ft trailer be about 2 ton pull. Would a freelander 2.2 be enough ?

You wouldn't realise the weight adding up. A 10x5 ifor with decks is 1tonne before a hoof is put in it. That's were I'm angling at the 2.5 tonne towing capacity.

The new Santa fes are lovely lookin machines alright. New ones are a shocking price though.

ganmo

a 2.2L could pull 3T(on the flat)

Cran

Green farmer wrote: »

You wouldn't realise the weight adding up. A 10x5 ifor with decks is 1tonne before a hoof is put in it. That's were I'm angling at the 2.5 tonne towing capacity.

The new Santa fes are lovely lookin machines alright. New ones are a shocking price though.

You sure I think my 12ft is about 700kg empty

Green farmer

Cran wrote: »

You sure I think my 12ft is about 700kg empty

Unfortunately ya. 875kg without decks and about extra 100 kg with decks. That's the current version. The older ones might be lighter .

The Sidewards Man

A diesel passat or avensis tow no bother.

Farrell

The Sidewards Man wrote: »

A diesel passat or avensis tow no bother.

Would they have the GVW?

Green farmer

Still looking for a dual purpose family car / farm vehicle. Any one here ever try a Volkswagen Tiguan towing ? Their around a good few years now ? Wondering what their like to tow a trailer and maybe 20 lambs ?

orm0nd

Green farmer wrote: »

Still looking for a dual purpose family car / farm vehicle. Any one here ever try a Volkswagen Tiguan towing ? Their around a good few years now ? Wondering what their like to tow a trailer and maybe 20 lambs ?

no experience but come high recommended from posters on another forum, where I hang out

auto version seems to be the preferred choice.

drive shaft bearings give trouble & are a costly fix,

Green farmer

Is there anything out there that doesn't give trouble these days. . don't need a full sized jeep with the associated costs of everyday runaround, so to trying to think of something that's easy to live with for school runs etc, and the bit of towing.

Stephenc66

A quick google of the towing weights for a braked trailer show the 4motion Tiguan @ 2200kg

While I'm sure it will pull 2500 kg where would you stand with the law and insurance if stopped or in an accident?

Green farmer

Stephenc66 wrote: »

A quick google of the towing weights for a braked trailer show the 4motion Tiguan @ 2200kg

While I'm sure it will pull 2500 kg where would you stand with the law and insurance if stopped or in an accident?

As long as you stay under the 2,200 kg , I can only assume your Fine, as long as you have the correct licence. The trailer plus 20 sheep would be less then 2,000kg. I suppose that's the thing with sheep. Know the weight of your trailer and you can add 50kg for every sheep.

Stephenc66

Green farmer wrote: »

Stephenc66 wrote: »

A quick google of the towing weights for a braked trailer show the 4motion Tiguan @ 2200kg

While I'm sure it will pull 2500 kg where would you stand with the law and insurance if stopped or in an accident?[/quote




As long as you stay under the 2,200 kg , I can only assume your Fine, as long as you have the correct licence. The trailer plus 20 sheep would be less then 2,000kg. I suppose that's the thing with sheep. Know the weight of your trailer and you can add 50kg for every sheep.

I rarely tow a trailer these days and it has all changed in terms of enforcement since I did a lot of trailer work. Are the weights as strictly enforced or checked as the trailer license?

Green farmer

Better off to have it right. Then you can drive with an easy mind.

roosky

Just reading the talk of carring 2 tonnes behind a car so totted up what im pulling......12*6 with decks that 1,100 kg and then I put 40 ewes in it at 75 kg so thats over 4 tonne.....no wonder I though the jeep was weak .....never though I was pulling that weight.

Green farmer

Lads, looking at a few cars lately. Tiguans, alhambras, Mitsubishi outlanders and Hyundai ix35's, with a minimum of 2.0 litre engines, and 2 tonne towing capacity. If you didn't have to go off road, would their be any difference between 2 wheel drives versus 4 wheel drives when towing ? Most of the above would be a good bit more expensive to buy and run with the 4 wheel drive.

_Brian

In ordinary conditions no there would be no real difference.
I tow with an xtrail and while its 4wd it runs in 2wd all the time. I only use the 4wd when off road. It has a 2wd auto option where if it senses you getting into trouble it will go 4wd itself, I've never noticed this while towing(thankfully) I've tested it off road to see if it kicks in and it does.

ganmo

Green farmer wrote: »

Lads, looking at a few cars lately. Tiguans, alhambras, Mitsubishi outlanders and Hyundai ix35's, with a minimum of 2.0 litre engines, and 2 tonne towing capacity. If you didn't have to go off road, would their be any difference between 2 wheel drives versus 4 wheel drives when towing ? Most of the above would be a good bit more expensive to buy and run with the 4 wheel drive.

there is a longer wheelbase requirement when towing with a 2wd but I think most motors meet it anyway.
no need for 4wd if staying on tarmac